


Wing Check

by Noahofbond18



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Comfort, Dreams and Nightmares, M/M, PTSD, Trauma, Valentino shows weakness for a second
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:02:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26895652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noahofbond18/pseuds/Noahofbond18
Summary: Valentino wasn't always the Overlord of Lust, no. Before him, there was another, one much crueler and harsher, one her tortured those under for the fun of it. All those years under the previous overlord left quite the impression on Valentino, and even now he still has nightmares. Thankfully, Vox is there for him to help him through it.
Relationships: Valentino & Vox (Hazbin Hotel), Valentino/Vox (Hazbin Hotel)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 118





	Wing Check

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on an RP headcanon that my friend and I created! And I was inspired to write it when I commissioned a comic about it from @lhana666 on Twitter and got an incredible result. Enjoy~

Laughter, cruel laughter echoed around him as he bled, two fresh wounds in his back oozing the viscous purple liquid that constituted his blood. Tears joined soon after, slipping down his face from miserable pink eyes as he stared up at the towering figure above him who held the fragile appendages that had just been torn from his back. Arachne, the Madame, the overlord of Lust and his owner, stared right back, her cruel laughter joining the others as she watched him suffer. Trying to cover whatever it was he had for ears, the moth tried to block out the echoing laughter around him, the sounds of those enjoying his suffering as amusement, the ones who had torn his poor wings from him. The collar around his throat seemed to be tighter, reminding him of the control that the spider demon had on him. He was waiting now, waiting for the Madame to reset him, to kill him so he could wake once more in the poor excuse of a bed he had, whole and ready to be maimed for amusement once more- 

Valentino woke with a gasp, panting heavily as he sat up hurriedly and looked around. He was in his bedroom, on the large soft bed that was, of course, shaped like a heart. Glow in the dark stars faintly shone on his ceiling, bringing some small comfort to the overlord as he sat in the dark, fighting against the increasingly difficult task of not crying. It was late, most were either asleep or somewhere on the streets of hell doing satan knows what. In the case of the ones directly under him, probably walking the streets looking for late-night johns who wanted a thrill. But that wasn’t important right now, Valentino thought to himself as he switched on his rather dim desk lamp - it would have dazzled him at full brightness and he didn’t want that right now - and sat on the side of his large bed, picking up the phone he had lain on the side table. He knew it was late, he knew that very well, but there was one person he knew he could count on no matter the hour. One person who had never failed him before. Failing in his battle against tears, Valentino tried to find the contact through his increasingly blurry vision. 

He almost held his breath, listening to the dial tone, and trying to resist the urge to pray it was answered. Who would even hear his prayer? Who would care? Valentino didn’t pray, no, but he waited. Finally, mercifully, there was the telltale sound of the phone being answered. 

“Hello...?” Vox’s tired voice came from the other side, indicating that he had in fact just been woken by the phone’s ringing. 

“Hey Voxxie...” Valentino whispered, trying not to betray that he was crying. But Vox could hear it, he always could. 

“Tino? You okay?” He was almost immediately alert, Valentino hearing him shifting and sitting up in bed. It took Valentino a moment to gather himself enough for words again, slowly wiping some of his tears away with a hand. “Val?” 

“No...” The lust overlord replied honestly, only honest to Vox, especially when it came to this. “No I... I had the dream again-” He whispered, unable to prevent his hands from trembling. “Can I come over...?” 

“I can come over if you-”

“No. No, I... I can’t be in here right now, please Vox-” There was an audible pause on Vox’s end, the other knowing that Valentino had to be serious if he wasn’t using the nickname. 

“Okay... okay, Tino, I’ll be waiting,” Vox replied softly, Valentino releasing a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding, standing slowly to pull on his clothing. Once he hung up, he pulled on only the necessities, those being his boots and long coat. He didn’t bother with anything else. It wasn’t as though Vox hadn’t seen him unclothed before. 

Pulling on his heart-shaped shades, Valentino quietly walked down the steps leading down from his penthouse suite, and out onto the streets of Pentagram City. He didn’t bother with his limo, wanting to walk the whole way. The relative silence and stillness of Hell at night were oddly comforting, the sound of his heels clicking against the sidewalk his only companion. Valentino had no fears as he walked to Vox’s home, knowing he was in no real danger. He always had a gun ready in his coat, and even if he didn’t, his powers far outweighed anyone who would attack him. He didn’t have to fear. Not anymore. Not ever again. 

The blue accented door soon opened for him, Vox standing on the other side to welcome his boyfriend in. Valentino stepped in silently, grateful for how quickly the door had opened. He hadn’t wanted to stand outside for too long. “You wanna go up to my room...?” Vox asked gently, not bothering with a greeting. It wasn’t really important in this case. Valentino nodded again, not really feeling up to speaking at the moment, the laughter still echoing in his head. “Come on...” Gently, Vox took one of the moth’s many hands, leading Valentino up to his room. 

Closing the door behind them, they sat together on the bed in silence for a few long moments.  
“So...” It was Vox that finally broke the silence, gently rubbing the back of Valentino’s hand with his thumb. “You had the dream again...?” He never needed to ask what exactly ‘the dream’ was. Valentino had had the dream enough times that they both knew what he meant by now. The moth nodded a little, his eyes on his lap for now as he gathered himself. Vox’s hand slowly moved to Valentino’s back, rubbing gently. “Do you want to do a wing check...?” He whispered, knowing where Val’s mind usually went in times like this. 

“Please...” Valentino finally spoke, softly, his voice trembling. He felt ill at ease in his own skin, as though there was an itch that he couldn’t scratch no matter how much he wiggled. There was an unreal tightness around his neck, a neck that had long since been freed from what had once constricted it so. 

“Okay... come on, I’ve got ya...” Vox murmured gently, helping Valentino to remove his coat, allowing the protective covering to slip off of his slender shoulders and onto the bed. It was only because this was Vox that he felt able to do so, safe with his boyfriend in a way he just wouldn’t be able to feel otherwise. With gentle fingers, Vox helped Valentino onto his stomach, his head in the tv demon’s lap. “I’ve got you...” Vox whispered again, his hand on the moth’s lower back.  
Clenching his fists tightly, Valentino was visibly tense, but he managed to relax just a little as he felt Vox’s hand on his back, the touch familiar and comforting. 

“You’ve got me... I... I’m with you...” He echoed softly, trying to draw comfort from those words. 

“You are...” Vox nodded, trying to calm the moth down. “And no one’s gonna hurt you... Whenever you’re ready...” It had been so long since they had first met, but Valentino could still hear the heartbreak in Vox’s voice when he was like this. As if that spider had never really let go of him. Nodding slightly, Val drew in a gulp of air, closing his eyes as he slowly, so very slowly unfurled his wings. Even now, stretching them out brought a familiar burning of shame and anxiety, and he had to stifle a whine that threatened to rise from his throat. 

Vox moved his hand again, Valentino unable to keep from flinching, but relaxing again slowly when all Vox did was place a hand on the fluff separating wing from back, petting gently. 

“See? Still there... and still just as pretty as ever.” Vox told him gently, trying to reassure him. “They’re just as beautiful as the last time...” he murmured, cupping Val’s cheek gently with his other hand. “Deep breaths, Tino...” 

“They’re... whole...?” Valentino asked, his voice faint and plaintive. He needed to hear it. Even though he could feel them out, he needed to hear it, not able to look at them without feeling only shame. Valentino leaned into Vox’s hand with his eyes shut, trying to take his advice and breathe deeply. The praise helped, much gentler than the spectacle the Madame had once made of him, much gentler than any of her stinging words. There were many things Valentino had been able to move past after all those years. After he’d killed the Madame with his bare hands, had felt her blood hot against his claws, shining on the angelic blade he had raised against her. But his wings... his wings were still something he had a hard time with. One mark the Madame had left permanently on him. 

“Mhm... as whole as ever,” Vox whispered, gently rubbing the moth’s cheek with his thumb. “They’re whole, and safe, and beautiful.” 

Sighing softly in relief, Valentino sagged a little, some of the tension leaving him. “Thank you...” He whispered, managing to open his eyes to peer up at his boyfriend. “... May I put them back now...?” He knew he technically didn’t need to ask, but the consequences of not waiting to be told had made quite the impression before, one he’d never forget, one that would never leave him. If he didn’t ask, Valentino knew he’d just be stressing himself all over again. 

“Course you can, if you want...” Vox nodded a little, leaning down and pressing a kiss to the moth’s forehead. “You can do whatever you want with them. They’re all yours...” 

With a faint croon somewhere in his throat, he withdrew his wings back into himself, feeling much better with them tucked away again where they were safe. Where no one could touch them. 

“Thank you...” He mumbled, trying to get Vox to snuggle. Even though he wasn’t ready to pull them out on his own, Vox’s words helped more than he would ever know how to express. 

“No problem...” Vox whispered, gently drawing the moth overlord into his arms to hold him nice and close. “Come on... you need some rest...” Not about to argue, Valentino gladly pulled off his boots and joined Vox under the warm blankets, snuggling into the crook of his boyfriend’s neck and allowing his eyes to close slowly. It was safe here, in Vox’s arms, it was safe and warm... and no one would ever make him feel otherwise. Never again.


End file.
